Au Revoir
by endymion015
Summary: It's been three years since they last saw each other.... Epilogue to 'Unspoken'.


A/N: This is an epilogue for Unspoken, so I warn you, this is cheese at it's best (or worst..?)! This is for my fellow hopeless romantics who want a happy ending for Kaede and Reika. This is unedited, so prepare to be confused.

Slam Dunk and any of its characters do not belong to me.

On with the story!

* * *

**Unspoken: Epilouge**

**Au Revoir**

-endymion-

* * *

_RUKAWA_

I'm wiped. Three straight hours of drills, then a practice match.

I'm an NCAA exchange student. I just got here and had just survived the interviews. I don't get why they need those stupid interviews anyway. Its not like they could see how good I play by talking to me in their weird language.

_I'm all alone in the big city  
thrown away like an empty can_

It's a relief I learned how to speak the language before I departed. It's a complicated one to learn. To think that I don't even open my mouth that much. Anzai-sensei taught me how to, before I quit the All-Japan Team. The whole Shohoku team went to see me when sensei gave me his blessing. Ayako-sempai and Miyagi-sempai are planning on getting married after college. Sakuragi is still an_ aho _but we get along better nowMitsui-sempai is part of the All-Japan Team with me and was disappointed I quit. Kogure-sempai and Akagi-sempai said they would be proud of me, and wished me all the luck.

They are very different from my new teammates here, who were all very professional.

The Shohoku team was too cheesy. Too noisy. Too idiotic.

I miss them.

I often look at the photos in my thin album. I got it from a long time ago, but I never knew who gave it to me. There are only a few photos in it anyway. Just the Shohoku team. Our practices. Winning games. Individual shots. The All-Japan Team…

…and _us_.

_If love is love until we know everything about each other  
Then let's sleep forever..._

I wonder… where is she, now that I'm here? She said she'd wait for me. I said I'd meet her. But I don't have a goddamned clue where. It's been three years. Three fucking years too long.

_Until the world come to an end, we won't be apart.  
I wished it for countless nights_

Can she still remember me? Coz I remember her. I remember anything and everything that had to do with her. I sound like a lovesick moron from late-night mush-minded soaps but its true. I don't even know how I managed to think of her with all the stuff I went through. She wrote me pretty often at first. Then the letters faded out like a cheap pen losing ink. She hadn't written me a single word for a year and a half. Her condition might've gotten worse. Or she might've been busy. With what, I can only imagine.

Then again maybe not. My imagination's not exactly working. I don't think I ever put it to use. Not very often at least.

Crap.

I'd better get my ass out of this locker room or the coach will whip me out.

* * *

The water made a soft whooshing sound as he turned on the faucet to wash up. The cold liquid felt good against his skin. He wiped his face with a fluffy white towel and looked up at the mirror.

He was standing in the locker rooms of one of the best college basketball teams in the United States of America.

His reflection stared back at him. He didn't change much. Uncombed raven black hair with a greenish tint still nested upon his head. His eyebrows were slanted in the pensive and tense expression all his former teammates knew too well. And his deep, ocean-blue eyes were more clouded than ever. It was the face many females had swooned over, for it was like a perfect sculpture that was fashioned by the dexterity of a skilled craftsman.

And like a sculpture he was cold.

The young Japanese had trained long and hard to reach this state. Every waking hour was dedicated to practice. He managed to beat every great player ever known in his home country. All, except his spiky-haired rival who quit basketball to settle down. He fulfilled his promise to Anzai-sensei. He was the best player in all of Japan. The most famous member of the All-Japan Team.

He thought becoming such would make him happy. And it did. For a while.

He applied for the colleges in the U.S. and was accepted. So here he was now after the many years of struggle.

This had been his greatest and only dream. To step on American soil and play his game. And he was here now. He had everything he ever wanted.

So what else was missing?

_And so, people seek an answer _

'_You're a pig-headed asshole, Kaede,'_ he glared at his reflection. '_What do you want now, dammit!'_

_And lose something that's irreplaceable_

But buried deep inside his thoughts, he knew the answer to that. The image of a certain emerald-eyed girl with a fiery spirit and a sharp tongue flashed in his mind. This face has been imprinted in his brain for years, for it is the face of the only girl that he had made a connection with. The only girl that made him feel things he had never known he could feel. And when she left Japan, she left a hole in his heart that nothing had ever filled. Not sleep, not basketball, nothing. Often times he thought it might have been better if he had never met her. Then, he could've focused on his dream better.

She said they'll meet one day for sure. She kept saying it in her letters. She had faith in him. She knew he could do it. He strove hard to prove her faith true.

_Why does the past destroy  
even the worn-out heart that shines?_

When he was reaching his peak, the letters decreased until they stopped coming. But he didn't mind so much at the time because he was focused on his goal to become the best. He never did write back that often. But though he's had so many brutal exploits, he found himself thinking of her. He tried so very hard to forget that witty smile and those sparkling eyes, treating her as a distraction.

But he never succeeded in forgetting her. Her voice kept echoing in his sleep.

"…_Best player in Japan right? Well, do it fast then come straight to America. I'll wait for your appearance in the NBA…"_

Though _she_ might have had forgotten _him_.

The thought brought forth a scowl, tainting his handsome features.

A city filled with desires…

_but even the stardust in the night skies doesn't shine on us_

'_So…what now?'

* * *

_

_WATANABE_

"Yo, Slick," a voice called out once I had gotten off the vehicle. Err…_no,_ slick is not my real name. The team just christened me with tha name. Don't ask me why, 'cause I don't have a clue either. I can't remember when they started calling me _Slick_ but I think it was when they saw me play one on one with Steven Mason. I fought long and hard to keep me from calling that, but I lost. So the name stuck. "What brings you here?"

"Hey Neil," I replied, grinning up at the tall, black boy and pulling out the earphones of my iPod. I motioned at the thin boxes in the backseat of the Jeep. "New jerseys are here."

"Cool," Neil said. "Come on, I'll help you bring them in."

"_Arigato,_" I replied automatically. My hand flew up to my mouth. I _always _forget about this. I just couldn't help myself, you know? Although I've gotten better at spoken English, I still can't seem to stop myself from uttering Nipponggo phrases every once in a while. "Whoops. Sorry. I forgot, I promised no more Japanese-speak."

Neil laughed, as he piled up the jersey boxes on a pushcart. "Don't worry about it. I'm kind of used to it now, to tell you the truth. What does that mean again? Thank you?"

"Right," I laughed too. These guys have been very nice to me ever since their manager had hired me to be in charge of their uniforms and gear.

Yep, they're basketball players. Even after these years, my love for the game still hasn't wavered. I still play, but I don't really want to go into professional basketball. I don't think I'm good enough for that. So instead of playing professionally, I just work in close contact with those who are. See, I own this sports-goods store. Technically, it's my mother's store but she lets me manage it. What's so good about it is that I get free passes to the games of my favorite teams.

What's not good about it is that basketball makes me miss someone I haven't seen for a long time.

"Hey, Slick, you busy this evening?"

"Not really, why?"

"Dinner, my treat. Interested?"

I sighed. Not this again. "Thanks Neil, but, no, I'm not interested. Dating game's just not my scene," I said, delivering my favorite line.

"So it's true what the others are saying then," he chuckled. "You're one tough cookie to crack, Slick."

I would've punched him on the arm but my arms were laden with jersey boxes too. I just can't seem to get myself into all that dating crap. And I don't want to try. I made a promise to…to someone.

Hmm…I wonder…Can he still remember that promise?

_And so, people seek an answer  
And lose something that's irreplaceable_

I forgot about it. Once. And it wasn't intentional. I had two brain surgeries. One was three years ago and the last one was last, last year. It was just to check if the tumor had shown any signs of recurrences. Good news is that, no, no chance of recurrence will occur. Bad news is that it had affected my memory a little. I had memory lapses every now and then. My head hurt a lot when I try to remember things that I have forgotten. He was one of those things that my memory couldn't remember for a time. Funny thing was I never forgot to wear the charm bracelet he gave me. Sometimes I find myself just staring at it, wondering where it came from and why my heart feels like it's breaking everytime I see it.

_Melancholically fleeting thoughts..._

Before the temporary amnesia hit me, I wrote him often. Thrice a month at least. I wanted to keep in touch with him and with the happenings back in Japan. But then, I started my college life here in America. Then the amnesia happened.

_Until the world come to an end, we won't be apart.  
I wished it for countless nights_

He stopped writing to me too. I don't know why, he just did. Maybe he gave up when he hadn't heard from me for so long. He might've been busy back home. I just don't know. So I didn't write to him anymore either. I didn't want to make a pest out of myself. It's been a year and a half since then. I think. I'm not really counting. All I know is, its been a really long time.

But God knows how much I miss him.

_While everyone wishes, no one believes in eternity._

Neil stopped abruptly in front of me, and cut into my thoughts. I looked around, a bit surprised to see that we were already In the courtside. Guess I was so caught up in this reverie.

"Oh, we got three new recruits this year," he told me, as he set the jersey boxes on a bench. "One of them's Japanese, I think."

I froze for a moment there, digesting his words.

Hn. Whatever. I brought out my clipboard and went to talk to the team manager.

So what if he's Japanese? It doesn't mean its him.

Right?

_...Even so, they certainly dream about tomorrow._

* * *

"Dude, mind if I use the sink?"

Kaede whirled around to see a slightly taller boy. He was one of the other members of the team. A starting member. Kaede had seen him play.

Kaede stepped back and slumped down on the cushioned bench. The boy had shiny shoulder-length blonde tresses. Same as Mitsui-sempai's before he rejoined the Shohoku team, Kaede noticed.

The boy ran a hand through his damp locks and turned to face the Japanese boy.

"You're the new kid."

It wasn't a question. Kaede nodded dully.

"My name's Steven," he grinned before plopping down on the bench across Kaede and redid his shoelaces.

"Rukawa Kaede."

"You were pretty good out there," Steven commented. "For a newbie."

Before Kaede could utter a word, the locker room door swung open.

"Yo, Maison, you better get your royal ass out here. Slick's back with the new jerseys," a bald-headed black boy poked his head inside the room long enough to wink.

Steven grinned. "Excellent. I'll be out in a jiff, man." He turned to Kaede. "Have you met Slick yet?"

Kaede shook his head.

"You should," Steven told him. The two young men stepped out of the locker room. "She's the owner of the sporting goods shop, where the manager gets all our stuff. She's one hell of a babe, an awesome ball player and filthy rich. All my teammates have even asked her out, but she turned every single one of them down. Never went on a single date, unless it was a date in the public courts with a Spalding ball for a one-on-one. I haven't had a chance yet, but I sure as heck will try. Coz she's worth it"

He listened to the blond boy without a word. This girl Steven was talking about sounded a lot like someone he knew.

Or maybe he's just dwelling on it too much. He shouldn't think about her. Not anymore. He shoved his hands into his pockets and followed his teammate, who was heading towards the others on the other side of the court.

Kaede looked out into the courtside. The team had gathered around a young woman in a black racer-back shirt, white jogging pants and basketball shoes, who was handing out boxes of jerseys. She had her back turned towards him. Must be that Slick-woman.

She pulled out a clipboard and jotted something down.

"Three new recruits, so I'll have to order three more?" she confirmed.

His heart stopped for a second. Her voice… it was so familiar.

"Yeah, all the same as Weber's size. The jersey number and the names will be sent to you tonight," the manager replied. Kaede scarcely heard. His feet felt like they were glued to the floor. He just kept on staring at that girl's back, his hands clenching and unclenching in his pockets.

She turned sideways, laughing openly at something one of the boys had said.

Then he caught sight of her face. He froze on the spot, his breathing becoming shallow.

"Yo, rookie," Steven turned back towards him. "What's wrong with you?"

Kaede didn't answer. He couldn't bring himself to speak out loud. He didn't trust his voice. Steven shrugged and went on ahead.

If this _was _her, she sure has changed. She had blossomed from a pretty teenager to a beautiful young woman. Her once sparse hair that was damaged by countless chemotherapy sessions has now grown into a shoulder-length, dark brown mane. Her body had been molded to perfection.

Yet he still wasn't sure…

"OK, so I'd see you guys later," she said as she stuffed the clipboard back into her knapsack. With a careless wave she made her way towards the side of the court towards the exit, singing a familiar song.

Kaede looked at the circle of Americans with his coach. If he left, he might hurt his chance of becoming a starting member for his first American team. Its what he had been waiting for.

Then back at the sidelines.

'_To heck with this,' _he thought scornfully. Basketball had eaten up most of his life. It's about time he focused on something else. And that something else will be gone if he didn't get it now.

"Hey Rookie! Where are you going?" Steven yelled, watching the raven-haired Japanese race after Slick.

Kaede didn't turn back, his mind set only on one thing.

Reika Watanabe.

* * *

WATANABE 

I shifted my knapsack and pulled out the earphones of my iPod from my pocket. I need my music right now. I love this iPod. It contains all my favorite Japanese songs that I would never hear in American radio stations. I chose one of the songs and pressed _Play._

I have to admit. I'm a little disappointed. I didn't get to meet the Japanese guy. It's been so long since I spoke to another Japanese. Excluding my family, of course. And I couldn't help hoping that it would be…well..that it would be him.

So much for hoping. I really shouldn't have. I mean, what are the chances, right? It's a big country.

The iPod shifted to the next song. A song that I try not to listen to, because I tend to become very sad when I hear it. I tend to remember a certain Christmaas night three years ago….

'_So close your eyes for a final kiss  
That tastes of want and bitterness  
Our last kiss like a smoldering cigarette  
So at this time tomorrow, I know  
Would you be off in your world all alone  
And who would be in your heart for you to hold?_

I sighed. It was such a beautiful song. All right, just this once, I'll listen to it again.

_You are always gonna be my love  
And one day if I see another like you I know what to say_

I sang along softly and silently agreed. If I did meet him again…yeah. I'll know what to say. I blinked away tears that have somehow accumulated in the corner of my eyes.

Before I could reach the exit, I heard the squeak of rubber shoes following me. I ignored them.

_Squeak Squeak Squeak._

Damn…squeaking shoes were annoying.

"Reika!"

Sheesh. Must be Neil, again.

I began to turn around. "Neil, I already said--"

The words got stuck in my throat. I tugged at earphones until they came out.

_You are always gonna be my love  
And one day if I see another like you I know what to say  
I'll remember to love, you taught me how_

"Kaede…"

* * *

She was only a few feet away now. The hair, the hoop earrings, the earphones…

_You are always gonna be my love  
And one day if I see another like you I know what to say _

…that song she was singing. There was no doubt about it.

"Reika!"

She stopped and turned around slowly. "Neil, I already said—" her breath caught when she saw who called her. Her deep green eyes grew wide as she pulled out the earphone from her ear. The song played loud enough for both of them to hear.

_I'll remember to love  
__You taught me how_

He was right. It was her.

_You were always gonna be the one  
__In my mind as I pick away the saddest of saddest love songs  
Till another one will come, and give me a new one_

"Kaede?" she said meekly, her voice barely above a whisper. The two of them started to walk towards each other until they were only arm's length away. She then broke into a smile…one that is undeniably hers. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. The silver charm bracelet he had given her for Christmas years ago glittered on her wrist.

_Time like a cloud standing still  
I'm askin' if it's gonna move, and it will_

"It's really you, isn't it?" she asked, skeptical. "This isn't a dream…is it?" She suddenly reached out and poked his shoulder. "Oh my goodness, it really _is _you!" she exclaimed, a blissful look crossing her face She snapped back into her senses and blushed. "Oh. Gomen ne." She swallowed hard, trying to act as normal as possible. "So, uhh…you're the new recruit?"

"Yes," Kaede replied, looking at her intently. She was breathtakingly beautiful now... and she's here before him finally…The girl who had affected him so deeply.

But…is this the same Reika from three years ago? The Reika who understood him, and the Reika he understood? The Reika that he had…

'_That I had fallen in love with?' _

Love. Yes, he knew that now. The strong emotions he felt for another human being was love.

"You haven't changed," Reika broke into his thoughts. "…have you Kaede?" she said, speaking in the much longed-for Japanese language.

_You will always be inside my heart always  
__know that you'll have a little place for yourself in it_

How he longed to hear her say his name again. Only she could make his name sound like poetry.

"Reika…"he began, staring into her eyes. There was so much he wanted to ask her. So many questions he wanted to clear. Like why she stopped writing, or how she was doing or if she had someone else now. And many things he wanted to say. '_Tell her, you frickin' son of a bitch, tell her!' _he cursed himself silently. _Why, _of all the people,did he have to be so incapable of voicing out his feelings? He never was good with words and never will be. He cursed again, a little louder this time as he turned away.

But then Reika spoke. "You don't have to say it, Kaede…I know…" she bit her lip, hoping against hope that her intuition was still correct. "I missed you too."

_I hope that I have a place in your heart too…_

He whirled around and saw her smiling up at him. She hadn't changed after all. Still _his_ Reika Watanabe. Even after all those years, she still knew exactly what he was thinking. What exactly he couldn't say.

How could anyone think of anything to say while looking into those eyes and that smile? Oh how he tried to forget them… How the secret will to see them again drove him towards his goal.

"So you've finally made all your dreams come true, huh Kaede?" she said softly, his given name coming out of her lips smoothly. She always did love saying his name.

The questions can wait.

He grabbed her wrist, the one with the bracelet, and pulled her towards him. He crushed her to his chest and pressed his lips onto hers with compelling passion. She went limp in his arms and kissed him back, unable to hold back her feelings, nor her tears any longer.

_Now and forever you are still the one…_

The kiss drifted off and they both pulled back. He traced her jaw with a callused finger. "My dreams? They've all come true…now."

Reika sucked in her breath. Did Rukawa Kaede, the coldest man alive, just say that? It wasn't like Kaede to say something as…emotional as that. But time, and love could make you say and do things you never thought you would. She took a deep breath.

_I'll know what to say_

"_Ai shiteru, _Kaede."

Oh gawd…how good it felt to finally say it out loud.

Kaede enveloped her once again in a tight embrace without saying anything. But somehow, that was all the answers she needed.

He buried her face into her hair, feeling the world around him disappear into a whirl of colors. Rather than telling her how he felt, he wanted her to feel it.

Reika didn't need to hear him say it. She already knew, just like always.

A genuine smile grazed upon Rukawa Kaede's lips for the very first time.

* * *

**Author's Babbles:**

The lines in italics are the translated version of the song _Sekai Ga Owaru Made Wa_, by **WANDS** and _First Love _by **Utada Hikaru**. I just thought some of the lines were very fitting. shrugs

The lines in italics and are enclosed in quotation marks are thoughts. Three POVs here, Kaede's, Reika's and the narrator's.

Wheeeeeeeeee….i love sappy endings, don't _you_? Lolz…

**Review, onegaishimasu!!!**


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